Detroit is home to America’s only floating ZIP code. Discover how the J.W. Westcott has delivered mail to passing Great Lakes freighters for generations.
When Michigan Paid Cash for Rat Heads
Michigan once paid people to kill rats and bring the heads to local clerks for a cash bounty. The bizarre law stayed on the books until 2000.
The Massive 1883 Grand Rapids Log Jam
In 1883, heavy rains unleashed 150 million board feet of timber into the Grand River, creating one of the largest log jams in American history right through downtown Grand Rapids.
Before GPS: Michigan’s Giant Concrete Arrows Guided Airplanes
Long before GPS, giant concrete arrows guided airmail pilots across Michigan. Discover the forgotten navigation system that helped shape early aviation.
How a Milk Spill in Michigan Changed Driving Forever
Michigan helped introduce painted center lines on roads after a simple milk wagon spill inspired one of the most important traffic safety ideas in history.
Remembering “Big Sid”
If you lived in west Michigan in 1978 and someone mentioned the name “Big Sid” — you knew exactly what they were talking about. (READ MORE)
June 1, 1879: The Day Grand Rapids Fired the Boys and Hired the Girls
Grand Rapids telephone companies replaced boy switchboard operators with women in 1879 after complaints that the boys were leaving their posts to play marbles.